![]() So for a quick overview of reactivity (apologies if I’m telling you things you already know): it’s driven by a specific trigger or triggers (dogs, people, cars, cats, bikes, etc) and the fact that a leash or some other barrier prevents the dog from exhibiting their preferred behavior. So be kind to yourself and pat yourself on the back for trying to do the right things for your dog. Most people don’t know much about reactivity until they have to experience it firsthand, myself included. Hi! I’m also a reactive dog owner and can sympathize, it can be a challenge to manage and particularly with a bigger dog (I have a Lab), people can be really clueless and sometimes unkind. It was mentioned somewhere else I posted this, muzzles are a no go, she almost bit ME (she has never ever bitten anyone, and that was the ONLY time I thought she would bite anyone) when it came off and barked at EVERYTHING that she thought moved (several fences and a fire hydrant being the most nonsensical) I don’t wanna have to give up on my dog but I’m genuinely out of ideas. I have had to resort to only walking her at night or during low activity times of the day I have tried using a harness instead of a collar iv tried to see if maybe it was my demeanor while walking her and that helped a little but didn’t fix it now she has a boundary line instead of barking at anyone she sees it’s anyone within about 10 feet of her, and i’m running out of ideas but do not have a few thousand dollars to afford a trainer I am barely getting by as far as dog food goes as of now (thanks to a foster and her pups) but it is affecting my sleep schedule my ability to work my ability to have friends over my ability to take her outside and let her have the life of a normal dog we live in a one bedroom apartment but I can only take her out for maybe 30 minutes during daylight hours or at night which makes her panic. At first it was just some of the time, then more often,then most of the time,then every single person she sees. At this time I had been homeless and we had been couch surfing when she started to get reactive.barking, lunging, teeth showing, the whole 9 yards. She met all kinds of people and the only time she had issues was when people were doing heavy drugs and even that was nothing more than hiding behind me and growling if they try to pet her after being told not to(far to common in the city we live in) but otherwise she has had no behavior problems. I have a 1 year 2 month old red nose pit black lab mix, I got her at 12 weeks old, and started socializing her the day I got her, (where I was staying they had two dogs and I already owned a cat) we went to parks, friends houses, she met, cats,dogs,ferrets, goats, and horses and never had any problems. Victoria Schade is a certified dog trainer and author.Hello! I’m fairly new to Reddit but have lurked around a bit, and thought that maybe this would be a good place to post this. If you plan ahead and don’t leave anything to chance, your puppy will have a rich vocabulary of real-world skills. Work through your puppy’s socialization checklist slowly, always allowing your pup to move at his own pace, and always making sure that he has an escape route from the action should he need it. Similarly, plopping him in the middle of a sandpit when he’s only been on grass might cause undue stress. Forcing him to meet someone he’s tentative to approach might actually backfire and reinforce any underlying fear. The secret to socialization success is to make sure that it’s always a positive experience for your puppy. Keep in mind, though, that it’s not just the quantity of experiences your puppy has, it’s also the quality. Although it’s critical to expose your puppy to new environments, avoid areas with porous ground where many unfamiliar dogs go, like parks, during the early stages of socialization. Encourage him to check out objects like parked bikes, garbage cans on wheels and strollers. Allow him to explore different surfaces, like sidewalk grates and slick floors. Carefully introduce household equipment, like brooms and unplugged vacuums. Gently expose your puppy to different noises at low levels. Create a checklist of different types of people to meet, but make sure that participants let your pup approach them on his own time. Take the time to explore your puppy’s body, including the paws (specifically the nails), mouth, ears and eyes using “touch for a treat” training. Sign up for a well-run puppy socialization class where your dog can meet new friends and learn the rules of friendly play. ![]() You can avoid the dangers of under-socialization with a well-constructed plan that addresses all of these potential problem areas. ![]()
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